DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY AND CORRECTIONAL SERVICES. FY2010 Annual Report

Transcription

1 DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY AND CORRECTIONAL SERVICES CRIMINAL INJURIES COMPENSATION BOARD FY2010 Annual Report October 1, 2010 Governor Martin O Malley Lt. Governor Anthony G. Brown Secretary Gary D. Maynard Chairman Sandy Roberts Executive Director Cortney Fisher 1

2 Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services Criminal Injuries Compensation Board 6776 REISTERSTOWN ROAD SUITE 206 BALTIMORE, MARYLAND (410) FAX (410) STATE OF MARYLAND MARTIN O MALLEY GOVERNOR ANTHONY G. BROWN LT. GOVERNOR GARY D. MAYNARD SECRETARY PHILIP PIÉ DEPUTY SECRETARY PROGRAMS AND SERVICES CORTNEY FISHER EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR October 1, 2010 The Honorable Gary D. Maynard Secretary, Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services 300 E. Joppa Road, Suite 1000 Towson, Maryland Re: Criminal Injuries Compensation Board s 2010 Annual Report Dear Secretary Maynard: According to Criminal Procedure Article, (a)(8), Annotated Code of Maryland, the Criminal Injuries Compensation Board is to submit an annual report to the Governor and you. Please accept this report as the 2010 Annual Report of the Criminal Injuries Compensation Board. The report details the activities of the Board for Fiscal Year of The Board has paid out over $7.3M in claims this fiscal year, while only collecting $3.6M in from special funds collections. Overall, the Board has made great strides towards its goal of ensuring victim satisfaction with the compensation procedure. One of the major issues facing the Board immediately is funding future payments. All of these concerns and accomplishments are detailed in the attached report. I hope that find the report both meaningful and informative. If I can be of any further assistance please do not hesitate to contact me. Sincerely, Cortney Fisher Executive Director c: Deputy Secretary Philip Pié, DPSCS Chairman Sandy Roberts, CICB 2

3 GeneralProgramInformation ProgramDescription Pursuant to the authority granted to it by the Maryland Annotated Code, Criminal Procedure Article, through and the Secretary of the Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services, the Maryland Criminal Injuries Compensation Board (CICB) provides financial assistance to crimevictimswhohavesufferedcompensableinjuryorlossintheaftermathofvictimization.thecicb consistsoftwoequalentitieswhichcoexistundertheauthorityofthesecretary:anappointedboard, whichhearsdisputedclaimsandmakesdecisionsregardingawardsanddenialsandanemployedstaff, which processes requests for compensation under the direction of CICB s Executive Director. The CriminalInjuriesCompensationFund(CICF)consistsofastatespecialfundappropriationcomprisedof feesleviedthroughoutthecriminaljusticeprocessandafederalfundappropriationalsocomprisedof feesleviedonoffendersinthefederalcriminaljusticesystem. Mission The Criminal Injuries Compensation Board assists the Department and the Secretary in enhancing servicestovictimsofcrimebyprovidingcompassionatecareandmitigatingtheimpactoncrimevictims byprovidingfinancialassistanceintheaftermathofcriminalvictimization. Vision TheMarylandCriminalInjuriesCompensationBoardwillbenationallyrecognizedasaleaderinthefield ofcrimevictimservicesandrights.wewillbeknownasacompensationauthoritywhovaluesdignity, respect,professionalism,diversity,andcompetenceinourinteractionswitheachother,ourcolleagues, andourconstituency.westrivetomeetoneofthecorerightsofcrimevictims:financialrestoration. Wewillprovidecompassionateand competentservicestocrimevictims byaccuratelyandefficiently processing claims for compensation to alleviate financial hardship in the aftermath of criminal victimization.wewillsetthestandardforandprovideleadershipinthefieldofcrimevictimservices withinthedepartmentofpublicsafetyandcorrectionalservices.claimantsofthemarylandcriminal Injuries Compensation Board will be presumed eligible for claims and will be heard throughout the claimsprocess,betreatedwithdignity,respect,andfairness,beinformedatalltimesoftheirclaims status,andwillfullyaffordedtherighttoparticipateintheclaimsprocess. 3

4 FinancialOverview Revenue During Fiscal Year 2010 the Criminal Injuries Compensation Board collected a total of $3,595,640in revenue from Special Funds appropriated by the General Assembly. The breakdown of collection sourcesisasfollows: Pursuant to Courts and Judicial Proceedings Article 7409(b), the Criminal Injuries CompensationFundreceived$147,252fromanestimated7,363CircuitCourtcriminal cases. Circuit Court criminal case revenue represents 4.0% of the total revenue collectedbythecriminalinjuriescompensationfund. Pursuant to Courts and Judicial Proceedings Article 7409(c), the Criminal Injuries Compensation Fund received $1,075,238 from an estimated 53,762 District Court criminal cases. District Court criminal case revenue represents 29.9% of the total revenuecollectedbythecriminalinjuriescompensationfund. Pursuant to Courts and Judicial Proceedings Article 7409(c), the Criminal Injuries Compensation Fund received $1,780,886 from an estimated 593,629 District Court traffic cases. District Court traffic court case revenue represents 49.5% of the total revenuecollectedbythecriminalinjuriescompensationfund. Pursuant to Courts and Judicial Proceedings Article 7409(d), the Criminal Injuries CompensationFundreceiveda$500,000transferwhichrepresents13.9%ofthetotal revenuecollectedbythecriminalinjuriescompensationfund. As a result of the Criminal Injuries Compensation Board s revenue recovery program, thecriminalinjuriescompensationfundreceivedatotalof$92,264,allofwhichwas recoveredfromrestitutionowedbyoffendersasaresultofacriminalconvictionand sentencewhichincludedarestitutionorder.revenuerecoveryduringfiscalyear2010 represents 2.6%ofthetotal revenue collected by the Criminal Injuries Compensation Fund. Expenditures DuringFiscalYear2010,theCriminalInjuriesCompensationBoardspentatotalof$8,102,323.Ofthe justover$8,000,000spent,thecriminalinjuriescompensationboarddisbursed$7,337,078inawardsto crime victims and used $765,245 on operating expenses to manage the agency. Operating expenses represent only 9.4% of the CICB budget, while over 90% of the budget is disbursed directly to crime victims. $4,572,638 of the total amount disbursed was received from a federal compensation grant; $3,529,685ofthetotalamountdisbursedwasreceivedfromtheSpecialFundappropriationdiscussed above. 4

5 ProgramOverview Beginning in the fourth quarter of Fiscal Year 2010, and continuing into Fiscal Year 2011, CICB core functions have been divided into three distinct, yet collaborative, internal programs: claims examination,victimservices,andrevenuerecovery. ClaimsExamination TheclaimsexaminationprogramofCICBservestheMissionoftheagencybymaintainingresponsibility forfinancialassistancetocrimevictims.itisthegoalofcicb sclaimsexaminationprocesstoprovide resourcesforeachclaimant,whetherthroughanawardofcicfmoneytoeligibleclaimantsandvictims orthroughareferraltootherresourcesforclaimantsandvictimswhodonotmeetthecicfeligibility requirements. Thereareninefulltimeclaimsexaminerpositions,threefulltimeclaimsprocessorpositions,andone AdministratorpositionresponsiblefortheclaimsexaminationprocesswithinCICB.Threeoftheclaims examinerpositionswerevacantattheendofthefiscalyear;sixofthepositionswerefilledwithactive claimsexaminers.twooftheclaimsprocessorpositionswerefilledattheendofthefiscalyear;one positionwasvacant. Theclaimsexaminationteamisresponsibleforreceivingapplicationsforcompensation,communicating withthevictimandclaimantabouttheclaimsprocess,efficientlyprocessingtheclaimforcompensation sothattheclaimantreceivesthecompensationawardinthemostexpedientmannerpossible,providing referrals to other programs for financial reimbursement where there is no eligibility for CICF, and processingtheclaimawardforpaymentthroughthedepartmentofpublicsafetyandfinancialservices DivisionofFinancialServices. During Fiscal Year 2010, the claims examination team paid claims in the following categories of victimization: 282claimsforcompensationasaresultofhomicide,foratotalof$1,612, claimsforcompensationastheresultofanassault,foratotalof$5,213, claimsforcompensationastheresultofasexualassault,foratotalof$89, claimsforcompensationastheresultofdomesticviolence,foratotalof$154, claimsforcompensationastheresultofchildabuse,foratotalof$56, claimsforcompensationastheresultofdrunkdriving,foratotalof$209, DuringFiscalYear2010,theclaimsexaminationteam: Received1,644claimsforcompensationfromcrimevictimsinMaryland; Ofthe1,644claimsreceived,determinedthat1,559claimsinitiallymetthestatutoryminimum requirementsforawardconsideration; FacilitatedtheBoard sapprovalof950awardsforcompensation;and 5

6 Disbursedatotalof$7,337,078tocrimevictimswhohadcompensableinjuriesastheresultof thecrime. Inadditiontoprovidingawardsand/orotherfinancialassistancetoeachcrimevictim,itisakeygoalof thecicbtoprovidethoseawards,andprocesstheclaims,inanexpedientandefficientmanner.during FiscalYear2010,theclaimsexaminationteamhadanaverageprocessingtimeof157days,fromthe datethattheclaimisreceivedinthecicbofficetothedaythatthefinaldecisionissenttothevictimor claimant.whilethereismuchworktodotocontinuedecreasingtheaveragenumberofdaysthatit takes our claims examination team to process the average claim, the 157 day average represents a decreaseof28daysonaveragefromthefiscalyear2009averageclaimprocessingtime.additionally, 33%ofallofourclaimsareprocessedwithin90days,whichisanincreaseinthepercentageofclaims resolvedwithin90daysfromfiscalyear2009.infiscalyear2009,only21%ofallclaimswereresolved within90days. RevenueRecovery ThesecondfunctionoftheCICBistorecoverrevenueowedtovictimsastheresultofacourtorderfor restitutionuponadefendant sconviction.whenthecicbpaysforavictim sreimbursableexpenses, thecicbcreatesarightofsubrogationwhichallowscicbtorecoverthecoststhathavebeenpaidout previouslytoavictimoraclaimant.itisthegoalofcicb srevenuerecoveryprogramtoensurethatthe claims examination program is able to function in the best interest of victims by recovering revenue sufficienttosupplementthefundsgeneratedthroughthecourtfeelegislationdescribedabove. ThroughoutFiscalYear2010,theCICBemployedonefulltimerevenuerecoveryspecialist.InFiscalYear 2011,CICBhasincreasedthestaffontherevenuerecoveryteamtothreefulltimerevenuerecovery specialists.therevenuerecoveryteamisresponsiblefortrackingoffendersthroughthecriminaljustice process, and when relevant, working with the prosecutors to request restitution, initiate collection effortsafterarestitutionjudgmentisentered,andworkcollaborativelywiththedivisionofparoleand Probationtoholdoffendersaccountabletotheirfullcourtorderedsentence. Duringthelastfiscalyear,therevenuerecoveryteamrecovered$92,264inoffenderowedrestitution. DuringFiscalYear2011,theCICBhopestoincreasetheamountofrevenue recovered to25%ofthe totalamountoffundsdisbursedinawards. VictimServices The final function of the CICB is to assist the Department in providing exceptional services to crime victims and to ensure that victims of crime are receiving all of the rights to which they are entitled throughoutthecompensationprocess.inthefourthquarteroffiscalyear2010,cicbaddedavictim servicesteaminanefforttoprioritizeandexpandthisroleofthestate scompensationprogram.itis the responsibility of the victim services team to create the standard for statebased victim services leadership. 6

7 InthefourthquarterofFY2010,CICBhiredanAdministratorofVictimServicesOperations,fundedby Byrne Justice Assistance Grant through the Governor s Office of Crime Control and Prevention. CICB hopes to hire three additional victim service coordinators in the second quarter of Fiscal Year 2011, fundedbyavictimsofcrimeactgrantthroughthegovernor sofficeofcrimecontrolandprevention. The victim services program within CICB is responsible for ensuring that victims in the compensation program are wellserved and are afforded their rights throughout the process. Victim services specialists work collaboratively with the claims examination team to help ensure that victims are restoredfinancially,whetherthroughcicbcompensationorothersources.victimservicesspecialists also work collaboratively with the revenue recovery team to ensure that victims know of and are grantedtheirrightstorequestandreceiverestitutionfromoffenders.additionally,thevictimservices specialists working within CICB will provide outreach to community and criminal justicebased allied professionals,assistthevictimandclaimantpopulationthroughthecompensationprocess,andprovide continuing education on emerging victimrelated issues to the CICB team. The victim services compensationcollaborativemodeldevelopedbycicbhasbeenidentifiedasanemergingpracticeby the National Center for Victims of Crime, and will be highlighted at their national conference in September2010. During Fiscal Year 2011, CICB anticipates that the victim services program will provide direct victim servicestoeachclaimantorvictimwhofilesaclaimforcompensationwithcicb. Conclusions The CICB has made tremendous strides toward its goals of ensuring victim satisfaction with the compensationprocessandefficientlyandexpedientlyprovidingcompensationtoeligiblecrimevictims. Injustoneyear,CICBincreaseditsmonetaryamountofawardsforcompensationbyover$1millionand decreasedtheaveragenumberofdaysthatittakestoprocessaclaimbynearlyamonth.theagency hasdevelopednationallyrecognizedmodelsforprovidingexceptionalservicestocrimevictims,andhas increasedthenumberofstaffmembersdedicatedtorecoveringrevenue.cicbisonanexcitingtrack throughoutthenextseveralyears. However,CICBisnotwithoutitschallenges,firstamongthembeingafundingshortfall.Lastamendedin 1997, the legislation which creates the Special Fund appropriation dedicated to CICB is no longer sufficienttomeettheneedsofmaryland scrimevictims.infiscalyear2010alone,cicbdisbursedover twice the funds appropriated by the State Special Fund Appropriation. CICB is working with the DepartmentofPublicSafetyandCorrectionalServicestoaddressthefinancialshortfallandensurethat thatthestateofmarylandisabletocontinueprovidingexceptionalcompensationservicestothecrime victimsofmaryland. 7